Updated: 10 Jul 2026 15:10 BST |
5 min read
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Cristiano Ronaldo was left in tears as his dream of winning the World Cup with Portugal was ended at the last-16 stage by Spain.
The 1-0 loss marked the end of an era for the Selecao, with manager Roberto Martinez stepping down in the aftermath of the defeat.
At 41 years old, logic dictates that it will also mark the end of Ronaldo’s time as an international player, yet the Manchester United and Real Madrid legend has built his career on defying expectations and proving his critics wrong.
Jorge Jesus ‘counting on’ Ronaldo’
Jorge Jesus, a man who knows Ronaldo well having worked with him for the past season at Al-Nassr, will take over from Martinez in a move that could prolong the veteran’s international career.
Portuguese reports indicate that Jesus has no intention of asking Ronaldo to step down. Indeed, Record goes as far to say that the coach is “counting on” the striker ahead of the next European Championship in 2026.
It’s no secret that there’s a strong relationship between the pair.
Speaking after helping Al-Nassr win the Saudi Pro League title, he said: “He has more energy than me and has a great passion for football. I told him: ‘I only accepted to coach Al Nassr because of you, and you’re going to leave here with a title.’”
Ronaldo, meanwhile, is said to have “approved” of Jesus’ arrival in the Portugal dugout in a report from A Bola, hinting that he is not yet ready to hang up his boots.
He has not announced any retirement plans following Portugal’s World Cup exit, but rather the popular belief is that his time with the national team is over.
Indeed, Ronaldo was measured in his words following the disappointment of the World Cup.
“I will now have time to think and be with my family. I won’t make decisions in the heat of the moment,” he said.
‘Ronaldo not up to the expected standard’
Public sentiment, though, is starting to weigh against Portugal’s greatest ever player.
Martinez was long criticised for being too loyal to the Al-Nassr striker, who played the full 90 minutes against Spain, despite struggling to make an impact in the game. By contrast, Goncalo Ramos played only 36 minutes of the tournament but scored the winner against Croatia.
“The national team has shown that it is almost impossible to manage a player who, in terms of media presence, surpasses the value of the entire rest of the team, but who, in terms of sporting performance, has been losing capacity. In these major competitions, he has not been a player up to the standard expected of a forward in a team that is a contender to win,” SIC journalist Luis Cristovao says.
“I think it’s very difficult to look at the data, at reality, and believe that we can continue to give all the spotlight to Cristiano. The Ronaldo of the past would never accept being surpassed by the Ronaldo of today. And the Jorge Jesus of the past would never accept having a striker like the current Ronaldo.”
Pressure from the locker room?
Ronaldo, with his endless self-belief, is not the type of character to throw in the towel, but could pressure from within Portugal’s squad ultimately force the five-time Ballon d’Or winner to re-assess his situation.
Team-mates Francisco Conceicao and Joao Neves were targeted with a ‘wave of hatred’ on social media for comments made about the ex-Man Utd striker. Neither offered criticism towards Ronaldo but simply insisted, in the words of the PSG striker, that he is “just another player”.
Frustration, too, may come from other senior figures like Bruno Fernandes, who are nearing their last shot at major international titles but face their challenge being undermined by a player who is no longer at the expected standard.
What now for Ronaldo?
Although Ronaldo’s international future may be in the balance, the Portuguese appears ready to defy logic one last time and continue his career under Jorge Jesus.
The coach apparently has no desire to be the one who ends the international career of the iconic striker, who remains in control of his destiny for the national team. Anyone who has watched football over the course of Ronaldo’s 20+ year career will know this is the type of challenge he will not back down from.
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